Retractable handle for marine craft

ABSTRACT

A retractable handle apparatus is grasped and extended by an occupant of a marine craft to restrain motion of the occupant during sudden movement of the vessel. The apparatus includes a hand grip, a retracting mechanism, and a flexible member interconnecting the hand grip and retracting mechanism. The hand grip is pulled by the occupant to unwind the flexible member from the retracting mechanism. In the fully extended position, the apparatus provides resistance which the occupant uses to restrain against motion. When the hand grip is released, the retracting mechanism retrieves the flexible member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to restraint devices for occupants of amarine craft. More particularly, the invention relates to a retractablehand grip which an occupant of a marine craft may grasp and extend inorder to restrain movement of the occupant when the marine craft is inmotion.

BACKGROUND

Marine craft often travel at high speeds across water. The accelerationof the craft causes the occupants inside the craft to be affected byinertial forces, and for purposes of safety and comfort the occupantsmust restrain themselves against such forces. Sudden movements,particularly movement in a vertical plane due to wave bouncing, are mosttroubling because they give a marine craft occupant little time toprepare for restraint. This problem tends to be magnified in smallercraft which are more susceptible to small waves and disturbances on thesurface of the water because of their shallow displacement. Seatedoccupants are bounced about in the seats and require equipment torestrain their movement. Unfortunately, most marine craft have few, ifany, effective restraining devices.

Much of the prior art in seating restraining devices has been orientedtoward land vehicles. This includes full restraints such as shoulder andwaist restraints. In those vehicles, shoulder and waist restraints servetheir purpose well in restraining a person during sudden acceleration ordeceleration, particularly collision. In marine craft, however, fullrestraints are not practical. Collisions or other accidents often resultin sunken or overturned vehicles. Shoulder and waist restraints can trapoccupants below water in overturned or sunken vessels. Thus, fullrestraints are adverse to safety on marine craft and are generally notpractical.

Other restraints such as hand-holds and loop-holds are useful andprovide the marine craft occupant restraint when desired and mobilitywhen the restraint is not necessary. Unfortunately, these restraintsoften obstruct or interfere with the utility of a space. Much of theequipment used on marine craft is bulky or awkward, such as fishinggear, scuba equipment, and water skis, and any obtrusive parts in thecraft can interfere with the use and enjoyment of such equipment. Thereis very limited space in small marine craft, and it must be usedefficiently. Thus, marine craft have the need for an unobtrusive, yeteasily reached and effective restraint device that can be placed on ornear a seat in a marine vessel.

SUMMARY

With regard to the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides aretractable hand grip restraint capable of being grasped by a seatedoccupant of a marine craft. When not in use, a retracting feature allowsthe grip to be automatically restored to its original position out ofthe way of the occupants of the marine craft, reducing itsobtrusiveness.

The invention includes a retracting mechanism which winds a flexiblemember, such as a woven web of polyester, about a rotating member whenthe rotating member is rotated in a first direction. When the rotatingmember is rotated in a second direction, the flexible member unwindsfrom the rotating member. The flexible member is connected to a handgrip which is pulled by an occupant of the marine craft to unwind theflexible member from the rotating member. The occupant may grasp andextend the hand grip in anticipation of movement. Upon completeextension, the hand grip and flexible member provide the occupant withresistance and a range of movement to counter the movement of the marinecraft. Other than a woven web, the flexible member embodiments includesa line, such as a rope, string or cable.

In one embodiment, a guide member is provided between the retractingmechanism and the hand grip encompassing the flexible member. The guidemember guides the flexible member through its extension. The guidemember is narrow enough to prohibit movement of the hand grip throughthe guide member, thereby arresting motion of the flexible member in thefirst direction. Additional guide members may be utilized to route theflexible member when the retracting mechanism is placed remotely fromthe hand grip.

The present invention includes a hand grip made of a rigid loop. Theloop has a sufficient opening to allow a marine craft occupant tocomfortably insert a hand therethrough and form a fist about the end ofthe loop. It is important that the hand grip have a construction tofacilitate a firm and stable grasp by the occupant.

Another aspect of the present invention includes a seat assemblycontaining a retractable handle apparatus, as described above. The handgrip is mounted on the seat within easy reach of the seat occupant. Theretracting mechanism is placed in a void space within or beneath theseat. This prevents obstruction of other areas external to the seat. Aguide member, as described above, can be mounted on the exterior surfaceof the seat, such as on the front side of the seat bottom. The guidemember is positioned to arrest motion at the location desired forgrasping the hand grip.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a marinecraft includes a retractable handle apparatus, as described above. Theretractable handle is adjacent to a seat assembly on a structural memberof the marine craft. The retracting mechanism is mounted in any voidspace in order to prevent its interference with activity in the craft. Aguide member, as described above, can be mounted on a structural memberof the marine craft where the hand grip is desired to be located. If theretracting mechanism is removed far from the hand grip or awkwardlyplaced, additional guide members may be utilized to assist in routingthe flexible member to the location of the retracting mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will now be discussed in the following detailed descriptionand appended claims considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a retractable handle for a marine craftaccording to the present invention, including a flexible web member anda guide member;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a retractable handle for a marine craftaccording to the present invention including a flexible line member;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a retracting mechanism according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a marine craft seat with a retractablehandle positioned on the of the seat bottom and the retracting mechanismpositioned inside the seat;

FIG. 5 a view of the marine craft seat of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of a marine craft seat with a retractable handlepositioned adjacent to the seat bottom and the retracting mechanismmounted to a marine craft structural member below the seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference charactersdesignate like or similar parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1illustrates a perspective view of a retractable handle 50 for a marinecraft according to the present invention. As shown, the retractablehandle includes a hand grip 10, a flexible member 12, and a retractingmechanism 13. The hand grip 10 is preferably a D-ring type grip made ofa rigid material. It will be understood, however, that the hand grip 10may be provided in a variety of shapes so as to conform to the user'shand. It will also be understood that the hand grip 10 may be fabricatedfrom a resilient material.

The hand grip 10 is attached to a flexible member, such as a woven web12 of polyester fibers. The web 12 is preferably attached to the handgrip 10 by way of a loop 15 formed around the hand grip 10 at one end ofthe web 12. In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the flexiblemember is a line 12′ having a substantially circular cross-sectionaldimension such as a string, rope, or cable.

With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the flexible member is woundin a first direction 16, 16′, about a rotating member or spool 18, 18′,which forms a portion of the retracting mechanism 13, 13′. Motion in thefirst direction 16 (retraction) is urged by an actuator, which in apreferred embodiment is a spiral coil spring 21 (FIG. 3). It isrecognized that the actuator 21 may be any suitable mechanism used forurging rotation of the spool 18. A suitable retracting mechanism 13 isone available from Indiana Marine Corporation under model no. 53451-B.

In operation, the hand grip 10 is grasped and extended away from theretracting mechanism 13 with force sufficient to overcome the forceapplied to the spool 18 by the actuator 21. This action causes theflexible member 12 to unwind from the spool 18 in a second direction 17,17′. At full extension (which in a preferred embodiment is about sixinches but may vary depending on placement) the spool 18 ceases rotationand provides resistance to the flexible member 12, and thus to the handgrip 10. The user may now use the resistance to restrain against marinecraft motion.

As the hand grip 10 is released, the spool 18 is urged in the firstdirection 16 by the actuator 21, causing the flexible member 12 torewind about the spool 18, and thereby retracting the hand grip 10 toits stowage position.

Also, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an optional guide member 14, 14′. Theguide member 14 receives and guides the flexible member 12 to assist inproper winding 16 and unwinding 17. When the hand grip 10 is pulled tounwind the flexible member 12 from the spool 18, the guide member 14guides the flexible member to maintain proper alignment with the spool18. When the hand grip 10 is released and the flexible member 12 rewindsabout the spool 18, the guide member 14 once again guides and maintainsproper positioning of the flexible member 12. The guide member 14includes an opening 30 sufficiently large to receive the flexible member12 but too small to receive the hand grip 10. Thus, the guide member 14also functions to limit travel of the hand grip 10 in the firstdirection 16.

In a preferred embodiment, the retractable handle 50 is positioned foruse by a seated occupant of the marine craft. As illustrated in FIG. 4,the hand grip 10 is placed in reach of the occupant adjacent the frontportion of the seat bottom 24. The guide member 14 is attached to theexterior of the seat bottom 24 and the hand grip 10 is placed on theexterior side of the guide member 14. Thus, the hand grip 10 lies flushto the guide member 14 and seat bottom 24 to minimize interference whennot in use. The retracting mechanism 13 is mounted under the seat bottom24 to be unobtrusive. It is contemplated that positioning the inventionanywhere on the seat assembly 25, including the back 23, and withinreach of the seat occupant is also an acceptable modification.

In another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 5, the retractable handle 50is positioned adjacent to seat assembly 25 on a structural member 26 ofthe marine craft. The hand grip 10 is positioned within reach of aseated occupant for effective restraint. The guide member 14 is mountedto the structural member 26 with the hand grip 10 located on theexterior side of the structural member 26. The retracting mechanism ismounted on the interior of the structural member 26 to avoidinterference. Also, the retracting mechanism 13 may be mounted anydistance away on the same or another structural member for mostefficient use of void space. A plurality of guide members 14 may beemployed as necessary to provide proper routing and alignment of theflexible member 12 between the hand grip 10 and the retracting mechanism13.

It is contemplated, and will be apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the foregoing specification, drawings, and examples thatmodifications and/or changes may be made in the embodiments of theinvention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that the foregoing areonly illustrative of preferred embodiments and modes of operation, notlimiting thereto, and that the true spirit and scope of the presentinvention be determined by reference to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for restraining movement of anoccupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising: a hand grip; atensile retraction device having: a rotating member for being rotated inopposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force forurging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexiblemember interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and beingwound about said rotating member such that when the hand grip is graspedand pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficient force toovercome the force applied to said rotating member by said actuator, therotating member is rotated in the second direction to unwind theflexible member from the rotating member, and when the force applied tothe rotating member by the occupant is less than the force applied tothe rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated inthe first direction to wind said flexible member about the rotatingmember; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured to enablean occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip a limiteddistance such that, when extended to said limited distance, the handgrip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupant torestrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when the marinecraft is in motion.
 2. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein thehand grip includes a loop of rigid material.
 3. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a spring.
 4. Anapparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said spring includes a spiralcoil spring.
 5. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein saidflexible member includes a woven web.
 6. An apparatus as described inclaim 1 wherein said flexible member includes a line having asubstantially circular cross sectional dimension.
 7. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 1 further comprising one or more guide memberslocated between the tensile retraction device and hand grip for guidingsaid flexible member as it winds and unwinds from said rotating member.8. An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said rotating memberincludes a spool.
 9. A seat for supporting an occupant of a marinecraft, the seat comprising: a bottom; a back connected to said bottom; ahand grip sufficiently proximate the seat to allow an occupant of theseat to grasp the hand grip from a sitting position; a tensileretraction device attached to said bottom or said back having: arotating member for being rotated in opposed first and seconddirections; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating memberin the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the handgrip and the rotating member and being wound about said rotating membersuch that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of themarine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to saidrotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in thesecond direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member,and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant isless than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, therotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexiblemember about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction deviceis configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extendthe hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to saidlimited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by themarine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within themarine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
 10. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 9 wherein the hand grip includes a loop of rigidmaterial.
 11. An apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said actuatorincludes a spring.
 12. An apparatus as described in claim 11 whereinsaid spring includes a spiral coil spring.
 13. An apparatus as describedin claim 9 wherein said flexible member includes a woven web.
 14. Anapparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said flexible member includesa line having a substantially circular cross sectional dimension.
 15. Anapparatus as described in claim 9 further comprising one or more guidemembers located between the tensile retraction device and hand grip forguiding said flexible member as it winds and unwinds from said rotatingmember.
 16. An apparatus as described in claim 9 where said rotatingmember includes a spool.
 17. A marine craft having a seat fortransporting an occupant of the marine craft across water, the marinecraft comprising: a seat comprising: a bottom; and a back connected tosaid bottom; a hand grip sufficiently proximate the seat to allow anoccupant of the seat to grasp the hand grip from a sitting position; astructural support member; a tensile retraction device attached to saidstructural support member having: a rotating member for being rotated inopposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force forurging said rotating member in the first direction; and a flexiblemember interconnecting the hand grip and the rotating member and beingcircularly wound about said rotating member such that when the hand gripis grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficientforce to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by saidactuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction tounwind the flexible member from the rotating member, and when the forceapplied to the rotating member by the occupant is less than the forceapplied to the rotating member by said actuator, the rotating member isrotated in the first direction to wind said flexible member about therotating member; wherein said tensile retraction device is configured toenable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip alimited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, thehand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupantto restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when themarine craft is in motion.
 18. An apparatus as described in claim 17wherein the hand grip includes a loop of rigid material.
 19. Anapparatus as described in claim 17 wherein said actuator includes aspring.
 20. An apparatus as described in claim 19 wherein said springincludes a spiral coil spring.
 21. An apparatus for restraining movementof an occupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising: a hand gripcapable of being grasped by an occupant of a marine craft, said handgrip including a loop with an inner circumference sufficiently large toenable the occupant to insert a substantial portion of the occupant'shand through the loop and sufficiently small to prevent insertion of theoccupant's torso through the loop; a tensile retraction device having: arotating member for being rotated in opposed first and seconddirections; and an actuator with force for urging said rotating memberin the first direction; and a flexible member interconnecting the handgrip and the rotating member and being wound about said rotating membersuch that when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of themarine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to saidrotating member by said actuator, the rotating member is rotated in thesecond direction to unwind the flexible member from the rotating member,and when the force applied to the rotating member by the occupant isless than the force applied to the rotating member by said actuator, therotating member is rotated in the first direction to wind said flexiblemember about the rotating member; wherein said tensile retraction deviceis configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extendthe hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to saidlimited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by themarine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within themarine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
 22. The apparatus ofclaim 21 wherein the hand grip is a loop of rigid material.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 21 wherein the hand grip is a loop of flexiblematerial.
 24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said flexible member isa woven web.
 25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said flexible memberis a line having a substantially circular cross sectional dimension. 26.An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft,the apparatus comprising: a hand grip for being grasped by an occupantof a marine craft; a tensile retraction device anchored to the marinecraft and having: a rotating member for being rotated in opposed firstand second directions; and an actuator with force for urging saidrotating member in the first direction; a flexible member having a firstend in opposed relation to a second end and defining a lengththerebetween, said first end being attached to said hand grip and saidsecond end being attached to said rotating member, said flexible memberbeing wound about the rotating member such that when the hand grip isgrasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft with sufficientforce to overcome the force applied to said rotating member by saidactuator, the rotating member is rotated in the second direction tounwind the flexible member from the rotating member and thereby extendthe hand grip, and when the force applied to the rotating member by theoccupant is less than the force applied to the rotating member by saidactuator, the rotating member is rotated in the first direction to windsaid flexible member about the rotating member and thereby retract thehand grip; and wherein the length of the flexible member is sufficientlysmall to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to fully extendthe hand grip such that, when fully extended, the hand grip serves as ahandle for being used by the marine craft occupant to restrain theoccupant's movement within the marine craft when the marine craft is inmotion.
 27. An apparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of amarine craft, the apparatus comprising: a hand grip; a retractingmechanism; and a flexible member operatively associated with the handgrip and the retracting mechanism such that when the hand grip isgrasped and pulled by an occupant of the marine craft the flexiblemember is extended from the retracting mechanism, and when the hand gripis released by the marine craft occupant the flexible member isretracted by the retracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanismis configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extendthe hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to saidlimited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by themarine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within themarine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
 28. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 27 wherein said retracting mechanism includes amovable member.
 29. An apparatus as described in claim 28 wherein saidflexible member is attached to said movable member.
 30. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 28 wherein said flexible member moves around saidmovable member.
 31. An apparatus as described in claim 27 wherein saidretracting mechanism includes: a movable member for being moved inopposed first and second directions; and an actuator with force forurging said movable member in the first direction.
 32. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 31 wherein said actuator includes a spring.
 33. Anapparatus for restraining movement of an occupant of a marine craft, theapparatus comprising: a hand grip; a retracting mechanism having anactuator with force; and a flexible member operatively associated withthe hand grip and the retracting mechanism and being configured suchthat when the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of themarine craft with sufficient force to overcome the force of theactuator, the flexible member is extended from the retracting mechanism,and when the force applied by the occupant to the hand grip is less thanthe force of the actuator, the flexible member is retracted by theretracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanism is configured toenable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extend the hand grip alimited distance such that, when extended to said limited distance, thehand grip serves as a handle for being used by the marine craft occupantto restrain the occupant's movement within the marine craft when themarine craft is in motion.
 34. An apparatus as described in claim 33wherein said actuator includes a spring.
 35. An apparatus as describedin claim 33 wherein said hand grip includes a loop of rigid material.36. An apparatus as described in claim 33 wherein said retractingmechanism further includes a movable member for being urged by the forceof said actuator.
 37. An apparatus for restraining movement of anoccupant of a marine craft, the apparatus comprising: a hand grip; aretracting mechanism having: a movable member for being moved in opposedfirst and second directions; and an actuator with force for urging saidmovable member in the first direction; and a flexible member operativelyassociated with the hand grip and the retracting mechanism such thatwhen the hand grip is grasped and pulled by an occupant of the marinecraft with sufficient force to overcome the force applied to the movablemember by said actuator, the movable member is moved in the seconddirection to extend the flexible member from the retracting mechanism,and when the force applied to the hand grip by the marine craft occupantis less than the force applied to movable member by said actuator, themovable member is moved in the first direction to retract said flexiblemember into the retracting mechanism; wherein said retracting mechanismis configured to enable an occupant seated in the marine craft to extendthe hand grip a limited distance such that, when extended to saidlimited distance, the hand grip serves as a handle for being used by themarine craft occupant to restrain the occupant's movement within themarine craft when the marine craft is in motion.
 38. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 37 wherein said hand grip includes a loop of rigidmaterial.
 39. An apparatus as described in claim 37 wherein saidflexible member is configured and disposed for motion around saidmovable member during motion of said movable member.
 40. An apparatus asdescribed in claim 37 wherein said flexible member is attached to saidmovable member.